BEDC Partners Ekiti to Enhance Power Supply

BEDC Electricity Plc (BEDC) is partnering with Ekiti State Government (EKSG) on an arrangement for more improved power supply.

This, is to enable the state power its streetlights for about 10hours a day, as against the present situation where streetlights were powered for about three hours daily.

The BEDC in addition to this arrangement assured the state government that power would be restored to the tourism corridor of the state by middle of December. Communities in the tourism hub which have been out of supply included; Ikogosi-Ekiti host of the Ikogosi Warm Spring Resort, Ipole-Iloro, base of Ariata Waterfalls and Erinijiyan Ekiti.

According to a statement, the development emerged after a recent meeting between BEDC management team led by the Managing Director/CEO, Mrs. Funke Osibodu and Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti.

The CEO had at a press briefing in Benin hinted that there was ongoing rehabilitation of Ikogosi/Erinijiyan/Ipole Iloro on Aramoko 33kv feeder, adding that communities in these areas should have more stable power by next month and that 15 other communities were being considered for connection before end of December.

She explained that in connecting some state public utilities directly, Maximum Demand (MD) prepaid meters would be connected to reduce complaints between the company and the state government.

On the issue of total supply available to the state, she said this could be improved upon from the present level.

On metering, she spoke on the Meter Asset Power (MAP), which she said was aimed at closing metering gap in the nation’s power sector, adding that BEDC had keyed into the scheme and would be ready for the implementation before the end of first quarter of 2018.

Responding, Fayemi who expressed optimism about the improved power supply in the state apart from the three communities said, “based on this meeting it is clear there will be improvement in power supply and relations in the state and this will translate to improved economy.”

The meeting was called to work out an arrangement for improved power supply across the state, including how BEDC can connect communities that are out in the shortest time, how can the state’s public utilities such as hospitals, schools, government and water corporation be directly connected and how can the total supply available to Ekiti state can be improved upon from the present state.